Tuesday, August 11, 2009

All of the blogs that I follow and manage on Blogger Dashboard have totally disappeared. Anyone had this happen---or know what I can do to get them back. That is what I use to check when your new posts come in, so that I can comment on your blog. HELP please!

This is one story you almost have to SEE in order to believe!!!!! Highway 127 is a rural highway which comes right through the middle of Crossville, Tennessee where we live. Anyhow--once a year, for four days (although it seems to go on much longer), there is a HUGE event along this highway which begins in Covington, KY and goes south for 450 miles ending in Gadsden, Alabama. The event is called the WORLD'S LONGEST YARD SALE. It is always held beginning the 1st Thursday in August and finishes on the following Sunday. This year's dates were August 6-9.

Anyone who is a junk collector, antique collector, crafter, quilter, cook, farm machinery buff---or just a person who loves to attend yard sales or whatever you call them (garage sales, red tag sales, moving sales or WHATEVER) probably already knows about this huge sale. You'll find everything from antiques, collectibles, furniture, dishware, fresh garden produce, homemade jams and jellies, food vendors, live entertainment and so much more!!! We see people who come from miles and miles away, with huge trucks and trailers in order to get great deals and go home with lots more JUNK!!!! I hear that people make this special event their annual vacation!!!!

Twenty one years ago, the folks in the small town of Jamestown, TN (in Fentress County, north of Crossville) started this 'yard sale' along Highway 127 --as a scheme to get travelers off of the interstate and back into their rural area, hoping to draw more tourists to the area. The sale has grown and grown for these 21 years---and it's been estimated that more than 5000 vendors line up along the 450 mile scenic yard sale route. Like I said, you have to be here to get the real picture!!!

You must understand that I am NOT a yard sale person AT ALL---so events like this make me run the other direction--just to get away from the area. But I have friends who would LOVE it---or DO love it.The picture above and those below (taken this weekend here in Crossville) are only a tiny piece of what was ALL along Highway 127 for miles and miles and miles. As one person said, "It's the Tour de France for JUNKTIQUERS!" I love that word!!!! If you want to come to this big event next year, just remember the first full weekend in August. You would be welcome to stay with us but I'll guarantee that we will be GONE!!!! Oh Well!!!! ha ha

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++On another subject, while I was sitting on my 'throne' (sofa) today playing with my new TOY (click on GEORGE'S blog today for information on this new toy), I saw a Daddy Cardinal and his baby on our deck. The baby was VERY young and was shaking all over --wanting Daddy to feed him. I had more fun watching the two of them---so of course, I got a few pictures. It was shady on the deck --so the pictures aren't very good, but you'll get the idea. Such JOY!!!!"Hi, I'm Baby Cardinal and I'm SO hungry."

"Please Daddy... Feed me. I'm famished."

"Why are you making me WAIT, Daddy???? A bug is gonna fly in my mouth if you don't feed me NOW!"

"Yummy Yummy. Thanks Daddy Dear. You are so nice to me."

"Now--can we go back to the nest?? I don't like this big ole' world. Puh-lease!"

++++++++OH--aren't they just so sweet???? I hope you enjoyed seeing more of our birds. If you are new to birding, you may not know that the young Cardinals don't have the red beaks yet, but like many of the baby birds, they are pretty big already!!!!

Whether you enjoy Yard Sales or watching the birds, life can be so much fun!!!